Design & Technology
Subject Leader: Miss Bush
Our place in the world
We recognise how we may face problems in our everyday lives and how we can use various DT skills to work through and overcome these. By looking at a range of STEM heroes, we highlight several inventors and designers from a range of backgrounds and cultures, some of which reflect and celebrate our own identity and experience. We learn from these role models about how to overcome barriers and achieve success.
Language and oracy
Creating a purposeful product expands a child’s ability to interact with the world around them, and provides a new set of skills for communication and ideas. Our curriculum allows our children to develop their creativity, which is important throughout their lives. Our DT curriculum gives plentiful opportunities for new vocabulary, which we can introduce, repeat and model.
Learning skills
We believe that the skills developed within our DT curriculum support children’s life skills through developing their creativity, independence, logic, problem solving, perseverance, communication skills and working collaboratively.
Healthy body, healthy mind
Aspects of the DT curriculum teach children about the importance of healthy eating and diet. Children have opportunities to learn practical cooking skills, essential for maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. DT fosters mental growth in children by providing opportunities for trying out new ideas, new ways of thinking and problem-solving.
Intent
At St Mary Magdalen’s, Design and Technology is an exciting subject that allows children to use their imagination to design and create products that solve real and relevant problems. The design element encourages children to become creative thinkers and innovators. The technology aspect links learning and develops transferrable skills from science, mathematics, and computing and art knowledge to a project. Design and Technology develops pupils’ skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control, textiles and nutrition using a range of materials.
As part of their work, pupils are taught how to cook and apply the principles pf nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life
Implementation
We teach Design and Technology through Design, Make and Evaluate Assignments (DMEA). This reiterative process ensures children develop skills through focused tasks that enable them to complete each assignment.
- Design – Children research and investigate existing products linked to each DMEA. They generate ideas, then sketch and annotate their drawings to explain their ideas.
- Make – Children make prototypes, select appropriate tools, materials or ingredients and follow instructions to create their product.
- Evaluate – The children review the final project compared to their original ideas and design. They consider the views of other children to improve their work.
Our Design and Technology curriculum follows Projects on a Page from The Design Technology Association.
Impact
Our Design and Technology curriculum should ensure that children leave St Mary Magdalen’s:
- With knowledge and understanding of the key principles of a healthy balanced diet by cooking simple nutritious recipes
- Knowledge of the design processes including researching and testing ideas
- Able to critically evaluate their own and others work
- A tool kit of life skills (cooking, sewing, construction) to perform everyday tasks confidently
How to support your child at home?
Involving your children in planning and preparing meals:
Jamie Oliver
BBC Good Food
Create and make projects with STEM Learning